DJI hopes to take on GoPro with its new Osmo Action camera

DJI has taken a detour from drones and gimbals to release the Osmo Action, a robust action camera designed to compete directly with GoPro's Hero lineup.

The compact, ruggedized action camera features the same 1/2.3-inch sensor found inside the Osmo Pocket and captures 12-megapixel Raw stills, as well as 4K HDR video. In front of the sensor is a three-element F2.8 glass lens with a 145 degree field-of-view.

As noted in our hands-on, the Osmo Action features DJI's electronic image stabilization (EIS) technology it refers to as RockSteady, an tongue-in-cheek nod to GoPro's HyperSmooth EIS technology. It's worth noting though that DJI estimates an 18-22% crop factor when using RockSteady. DJI has also included a de-warp function to minimize the exaggerated perspective of the wide-angle lens.

One, er two, of the stand-out features of the Osmo Action are its dual displays. In addition to the 2.25in rear touchscreen that's used to navigate the menu and compose shots, DJI has also added a 1.4in front-facing screen so you know what you're getting in the shot when snapping a selfie.

Being an action camera, it shouldn't come as any surprise the Osmo Action is designed to take a beating and keep on working; it's dustproof, shockproof up to 1.5m (5ft) and waterproof down to 11m (36ft) as is. If more protection or underwater capabilities are required, DJI is also offering an external housing.

The device itself features three buttons: a power button, a record button and a dedicated button DJI calls the Quick Switch (QS) button. The QS button makes it easy to transition between shooting modes, flip what screen is active and change settings, even with gloves on. If the Quick Switch button doesn't fit the bill, the camera can also be turned on and start recording with your voice thanks to integrated voice control.

On the photo front, the Osmo Action can capture 12MP Raw (DNG) or JPEG images in 16:9 or 4:3 ratios. It features an ISO sensitivity range of 100-3200 and shutter speeds between 120 seconds and 1/8000th of a second. In burst mode, the Osmo Action can capture shots at three, five or seven fps, and the self-timer mode can be set for three or ten second intervals.

When it comes to video, the Osmo Action can capture 4K/60p video at 100Mbps and 4K HDR video at up to 30 fps. For high frame rate video, the Osmo Action can capture up to 240 fps if the resolution is dropped down to 1080p.

The Osmo Action has built-in Bluetooth and Wi-Fi so it can be paired with Android and iOS devices via DJI's Mimo mobile app. When connected, you can compose shots, change settings, capture images and instantly transfer content on the fly.

Media is stored on microSD/SDXC/SDHC cards up to 256GB. The battery, which DJI says can be fully charged via the onboard USB-C port in 88 minutes, can last 116 minutes when recording at 1080/30p or 91 minutes when recording 4K/30p with RockSteady enabled.

The DJI Osmo Action is currently available to pre-order at Adorama and B&H for $349. It comes with a camera frame, a flat adhesive mount, a curved adhesive mount, a quick-release base, the battery, a battery case, a locking screen and a USB-C cable. Additional accessories are also available.

I much prefer the Sony style tilting screen for street photography over the full side hinge of my R, but still use the flip selfie position a lot. A sony screen but with a little extra one next to the mount for framing would be an ideal setup!

I bought a GoPro Hero 7 Black at the end of last year, and it's the least reliable camera I have ever owned. Whilst the Hero 5 worked (and continues to work) as promised, the Hero 7 regularly crashes, hangs, records upside down, and drains the battery even when not used + wifi/BT is turned off. This despite several cycles of firmware reinstalls/upgrades. And don't get me started on GoPro Quik software.

I'm glad that more action cam options are coming to market, especially those that share compatibility with the GoPro accessory mount.

Edit: I also hope the Osmo Action has a standard microphone socket as well; can't find it in the hands-on preview. GoPro annoyed a lot of people by demanding their proprietary audio dongle (which is impossible to find in stock).

Wait all my Gopros are ROCK SOLID never crash, never lag, never break, these things are amazing to the point I always wished they made a large sensor camera no matter how large. I have the 3 to 7, every version. All work.

I don't vlog but this seems to be a better vlogging camera than the Osmo Pocket and DJI is aware as they have reduced the price of the Pocket. The Pocket will certainly have better image quality and microphone but there's so much value/capability in the Osmo Action.

@shigzeo Western countries aren't doing as much manufacturing because it's a low-skilled job and so it goes to countries with cheap labor. Free market wins again. If you want to pay more for products, then have them assembled in countries where skills and thus wages are higher.

@mr.izo I don't know what karma has to do with anything. Over the past few decades, the Chinese government has allowed more free enterprise, and a free market is best for society as a whole. It benefits everyone. End of story.

there's no such a thing as free market, as internal china, as globaly, where, ironically, now we get embargo on chinese import etc.anyway, what i was referring to as karma is: a) what west gets back for what hav been doing in china for years, now it's china who builds factories in eu or usa and get cheap labour to work thereb) as irony as gopro has drone by name karma, which was trying to kill dji dron sales (and fails big time), now dji strikes back and i don't think they will fail as much go pro did.

@mr.izo "a) what west gets back for what hav been doing in china for years, now it's china who builds factories in eu or usa and get cheap labour to work there"

This is exactly my point. All the great products that China is producing is a huge benefit to Americans, not hurting us.

And to your point b, again, this is all great. GoPros drone was junk and it failed. DJI's drones are great and benefit everyone who likes drones and aerial photography.

The way that you are looking at this is just bizarre. Your referring to one company trying to kill another's products is just competition, a normal part of a free market. As I said, it benefits society as a whole.

If the West has no ability to manufacture anything, and become increasingly just a consumer society with no means of making money but design, it has lost every portion in a disrupted market. That's it. It is giving China all the cards. Eventually, the design portion will also be lost because we are so damn lazy and blind in the West with no plan but to either make money or get stuff cheap.

They're even crushing it in the automotive industry. I just bought a chinese car called the Zotye t600, an amazing little beast that looks awesome and has every feature under the sun, with lovely build quality. Yea the design is a rip off VW & Porsche but in time they'll design more and find their mojo and in no time we will all be driving around in Chinese cars, holding chinese phones (Oneplus, Oppo, Vivo, Huawei) and wearing chinese cloth.

Howaboutraw, it can't be done in comparable size. A wide angle / fast lens for a larger sensor? It would be MUCH larger than what Sony uses now...that is just the way the physics of it operate. Just like you can't really do a 1 inch or full frame sensor in a smart phone.

"Just like you can't really do a 1 inch or full frame sensor in a smart phone."

So you've never read of the 2015 released Panasonic CM1 Android smartphone with a 1 inch sensor in it. The lens is f/2.8 and 28mm in full framed terms. I guess not super wide. As of May 2019, it's the best stills smartphone camera ever released.

Ergo the lens can be done with current technology. The bigger issue is fitting a battery able to do long runtimes into the body.

Now, the action camera that I propose would not retail for just $300. Sony is on the right track with the RX0, they just fell for their urge to cram things into a small box unable to disperse heat well--it's a pattern with Sony gear.

I thought the first RX0 used the whole sensor. I'll have to look at my files.

I guess your correct, but there's the CM1 example too.

Now, I do think that an action camera with a 1 inch sensor is the perfect place to introduce the first camera with a curved sensor. So whichever party would buy the sensors from Sony, perfect bending them over a mold, and then put them in a camera, or sell the curved sensors to an action camera company.

I'd also love a 1" version. Really would. A 1" chip is a digital replica of the S16 film format and can take C mount lenses. I think more 1" video centeric camera should be available. I once bought an RX10 for that sensor but didn't like the lens & files but a 1" camera with a C mount, in an action cam casing, even if big (some of us can handle bigger) would be a dream camera for B & C applications

If y'all get the chance, look up the video that Kai Wang put up on YouTube. The video demonstrates the "Rock Steady" stabilization, and I've got to say that I'm impressed by it. The dynamic range while using stabilization can be questioned though. On the Osmo Action FAQ, it's either HDR, or stabilization; you cannot use both at once. And according to the estimates of each manufacturer, the Osmo Action has ever-so-slightly longer battery life than the Hero 7 Black.

All-in-all, at $50 less than the Hero 7 Black (with similarly priced accessories), I think that the Osmo Action has a real chance at toppling GoPro off of the action cam throne.

DJI has a 15% narrower FOV. And maybe 10% additional crop from the EIS beyond what GoPro uses. This is a problem for POV action. Plus GoPro's ProTune is usable ~all the time and with stabilization. SuperView, TimeWarp are missing from the DJI. Street prices of each match. But the DJI can drop their price 100-200 dollars since cheaper innards.

Yes, the activation requirement is stupid, as is the requirement for location access in the mimo app. And that app has to be one of the worst apps I have ever encountered for a photography related product.

Er, gopro 8 rumoured to have larger sensor and built in mechanical stabilisation along side their already impressive hypersmooth! A real “gimbal killer” for sure. GoPro will always be number one when it comes to action cameras. They just keep getting better! Just look at the reviews and specs of GoPro cams. Top notch.

It would be nice if they come up with OIS in addition to EIS. EIS looks terrible in low light (warpy, jittery, you know if you used it in low-light). EIS does not work properly if the shutter speed is too low because it can't compensate for the motion blur e.g. at 1/30 or 1/60 shutter speed.

Huh, I guess I'm crazy. After watching a few more videos on YouTube, I personally see the Osmo Action's EIS to be much better than GoPro's. While GoPro handles wobbling just as well as the DJI, the DJI appears to handle rolling a lot better.

Wow, properly taking on GoPro. Looks like even compatible with GP mounts.

Gloves are off now. They already kicked them into touch with the consumer/foldable drone. How's GoPro going to handle this. I hope the Osmo has tougher screens, I've had 2 GoPro 6 rear screens crack on me.

It would be interesting to see how this pans out in comparison to GoPro. DJI generally has a strong showing in the drone market and would be a serious challenger to GoPro. If GoPro knocks the Hero 7 Black down to $299 might take some steam off of DJI's offering.

Seeing more of the reviews of the DJI camera and this thing looks amazing - It knocks the Hero 7 Black in many areas which is pretty amazing for a first foray into the action camera market as a direct competitor to the Hero lineup.

In some modes though, I did think the Hero 7 had slightly better image quality though but the difference is so minute that probably nothing to deter me from recommending it.

However, obviously this being a new product, as with any new product, definitely want to give it a few months to see if it is a solid performer (meaning no hidden bugs that we don't know about yet and other nuances that could come up).

If this is still solid after a few months, I am definitely going to pick it up.

I have to say that I am impressed . . . so far. I have the Hero 7 Black, and I love it. It's quirky, but the results are awesome due to, in part, HyperSmooth stabilization. Will the stabilization match that of GoPro's, well, that's to be seen. One issue I have with the GP7 is low light video, I wonder if DJI has addressed that in their action cam? I hope so. Will I trade in for this? I don't know yet. Too soon to decide. I wonder when it will be for sale. One can place an order, but how long will the wait time be?

GoPro has LESS crop from stabilization, and a wider angle lens. More suited to action in that respect. So ~145º vs 170º and then an over 20% crop from the DJI. If you do POV action this is rather important. Plus the lack of SuperView, TimeWarp, accessories and the upcoming H7 firmware version not to mention the H7+ or H8.

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